Why do people opt not to get epidurals?

[Anonymous]

This is not a judgement. Just a major curiousity.

[Anonymous]

Well I didnt want one because I was convinced I could handle the pain without drugs after going 9 months without any unpure substance coming into my body and my baby's. However, if you are induced the contractions are ALOT stronger and come ALOT quicker and more frequently so I ended up calling for an epidural. 20 hours of excruciating pain later, I was told that epidural had been put in incorrectly and that was why I could feel everything still. Sooooooo, make your own judgement as to whether you want to chance it or not. I had to be knocked out for a c-section in the end.

[Anonymous]

The reasons for my desire to try for a nonmedicated birth were: (1) first and foremost, I don't think the safety of epidural anesthesia for the baby has been scientifically proven to the point that I would be comfortable introducing it into my baby's system. Epidurals are considered safe by most doctors, but I have very high standards for what constitutes proof. (2) I was worried that an epidural would lead to a host of other interventions: Pitocin (to counteract the slowing of labor that epidurals sometimes cause); an episiotomy (due to longer pushing phase because of not being able to push as efficiently because I couldn't feel anything); and of course a c-section. Epidurals do not necessarily cause these things to occur, but there is definitely a statistical correlation and I really wanted to avoid any interventions that were not medically indicated. (3) I didn't want a urinary catheter. That was a minor reason, but still played a small role.

Now, what were the reasons that I actually didn't get an epidural? First, my preexisting commitment to having an unmedicated birth led me to stay home during early labor. Laboring at home for 12 hours, it didn't even occur to me to go to the hospital and get an epidural -- really! I was so focused on what I was doing that it just was never part of my thought process. Second, once I did go to the hospital (after visiting my midwife to be checked and learning that I was 6 cm), I had midwives with me who helped ensure that I could stay mobile. Every woman copes with contractions differently -- my thing was that I wanted to be standing up, leaning against the wall or a chair. I couldn't have coped as well if I hadn't been able to stand. During transition (the shortest and hardest part of labor), I did finally reach my limit. Had labor gone on much longer, I might have opted for some pain relief. But by then I was 9 1/2 centimeters and almost ready to push, so at that point, it was really too late to get an epidural.

Finally, I should say that for me, labor was not as painful as I expected it to be based on the nightmare stories you hear. It wasn't painless by any stretch, but the pain was intermittent and manageable for me; the contractions felt like strong menstrual cramps. I understand that going natural is a choice made by a small minority of women, and I'm sure that labor is more painful for some women than for others. There are numerous factors that go into whether or not you feel that you need pain relief. I decided that for me, all things being equal I would rather not have the medication, but I knew that it was just a goal and that in the end there were going to be some factors beyond my control and I would just do my best. I feel fortunate to have been able to have an unmedicated birth, but who knows whether I will be able to do it again next time. Anyway, just one woman's response to your question, FWIW.

[Anonymous]

I did alot of research. There is irrefutable evidence that epidural slows down labor. I was not against it, but felt that I had to try to do without. And I did with #1.

#2 however labor was so intense and hard - contractions lasting long with practically no time in-between, I got it and it helped tremendously. But I went from 30 secs between contractions to 5 minutes - so it did slow down my labor, but luckily I managed to have pretty uneventful birth. And I'm glad I got to experience birth both ways I'd not have done it any other way.

[Anonymous]

12:47 highlighted many important reasons not to have an epidural. I would add my desire to move and stand upright also factored into my decision not to opt for an epidural. That position, in addition to making the contractions more manageable, allows the baby move to an optimal position for delivery.

[Anonymous]

I thought about it for about 2 contractions decided all I really wanted was a baby, not pain. I would not ever do anything with pain if I did not have too. I plenty of friends total opposite. Pop the babies out and don't think twice about the pain. Glad it is an option of either. I think they knocked my mom out when we were born.

[Anonymous]

I was one of those with freakish labor (I had gone to 5cm at work and hadn't felt A THING!)...and in fact, I didn't feel anything till they physically broke the water and the pain went from a zero to a 56 on a scale of 10 in 5 minutes! By this time, I was already 10cm and the doc suggested that I just push and get it done without the epi. I COULD've done that, but I chose to get the epi. because
the pain was so intense that I was afraid that in the event that I chickened out and felt that I couldn't or wouldn't push at the last minute (I'd read and heard a lot about panic during labor), it would jeopardize the health of my child. Since I was so close to giving birth, the anesthesiologist gave me a low dose spinal block that was carefully calibrated to 'take the edge off' but not actually numb my lower body. The baby was out in 45 minutes from when the spinal block was introduced, at which point the block wore off! I received a second degree tear and was sown up without anesthetic. My son came out alert and with all faculties functioning just fine. I did not have any numbness in my legs ever and also did not receive any bruising or scarring from the puncture. Taking pain medication or not is such a personal choice that there is really no right answer, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:47 highlighted many important reasons not to have an epidural. I would add my desire to move and stand upright also factored into my decision not to opt for an epidural. That position, in addition to making the contractions more manageable, allows the baby move to an optimal position for delivery.

This is one of my main reasons. I want to deliver squatting or standing or on all-fours but not lying on my back. Lying down leads to more internal damage for the woman and can be less good for the baby.

You can, in theory, have the epi for much of labor and then remove it for the actual pushing so that you aren't on the table. I've been told this is hard to pull off and that the shock of the full pain makes it even harder.

[Anonymous]

Oh my gosh. All this talk about the pains of labor is really starting to scare me. I will have to get an epidural.

[Anonymous]

I chose not to have an epidural because:
- I didn't want the extra drugs in my system or the baby's. When it comes to drugs, proven safe or not, I tend to be of the "less is more unless you really need them" school.
- I was afraid of the "epidural headache" that some women get following delivery. Apparently it can last for months.
- I wanted to preserve as much mobility as possible during labor.
- I didn't want to risk being overmedicated to the point where I might miss or be unable to respond to my body's cues.

I had back labor with my first child, and I was induced for the second. The pain was severe, excruciating at times, in both cases but not sufficiently so that I wanted to ask for an epidural. Both labors were, however, relatively short. If they had lasted considerably longer, I might have given it and requested some form of anesthesia.

I had episiotomies with both deliveries, so in my case, foregoing the anesthesia didn't obviate that particular intervention.

[Anonymous]

The shortest version of my answer to your question is that I was much more skeeved out by the idea of getting an injection into my spine than I was by the prospect of labor pain. Turns out that I was able to handle the pain without wearing myself out, and everything was fine.

[Anonymous]

1. My body reacts strongly to medication, so I was afraid I would get too high of a dose of drugs in the epidural and either have one of the more serious side effects (headaches) or have my labor stall out or have severe tearing because I couldn't feel anything when it came time to push.

2. I hate needles, and the idea of having one stuck in my spine for hours on end freaked me out more than the pain of labor.

3. I also hate being confined, so having to stay in bed and be hooked up to an IV, monitor, maybe a catheter, etc., also freaked me out.

4. Probably related, but I felt that getting an epidural would subject me to the whims and controls of the nursing staff, as opposed to being able to having the freedom to move around as I chose.

5. For as many stories I heard of women who happily got an epidural and had a simple and uneventful birth, I heard just as many stories about women dissatisfied with their birthing experiences because they got an epidural - the epidural didn't work right and they weren't prepared to cope with the pain, or they couldn't feel enough and pushed too hard without proper direction from the nurse and injured themselves, or the baby wouldn't turn because they were stuck on their backs for hours and they ended up with an emergency c-section. One of my good friends was handed the TV remote by a nurse and told she would have to wait an hour before she could start pushing because her doctor hadn't bothered to get to the hospital yet. There is no way a woman having a natural delivery could be told to wait like that.

[Anonymous]

I hate hospitals and wanted to minimize our stay. Epidurals require you to stay in bed and that could prolong labor. Epidurals can have the side effect of making it harder to push requiring forceps or vaccums. The bruises on the baby can increase the chance for jaundice and required stay. As a former preemie and NICU mom, I wanted to do whatever to get home as soon as possible with #2 who was full term.

Had nothing to do with wanting to experience the power of natural child birth, just shorten the hospital stay!

[Anonymous]

Previous posters have done a great job of summing up why I didn't want an epi - risk of slowed labor, further interventions, drugs passing placenta to baby etc. Furthermore, I hate needles and the idea of having a huge one in my back really freaked me out! I also didn't like the idea of not being able to walk and being confined to bed. Basically, I wanted to maximize the extent to which I was in control as the laboring mom. I wanted to feel the urge to push and be able to push rather than have someone tell me it was time to b/c i couldn't feel it......... that seemed very weird to me. Finally, I figured my body was designed to birth a baby, so how hard could it be!?! Well, I ended up needing to be induced (pitocin & breaking water) due to high blood pressure and I had the whole nine yards (confined to bed, BP cuff, internal fetal monitor, and an OB who made me deliver on my back (urrgghhh!) but I still did it w/o any pain drugs and wouldn't have it any other way. To each her own!

[Anonymous]

Totally agree with PP. I had the first with an epidural and had terrible tear and burst blood vessels in my face because i pushed with no understanding of the damage i was causing. The second baby I was wishy washy (scared actually) about going without the epidural and at 5cm opted to get it. It didn't work! That's the worst. But then i learned what the pain really was and my recovery was so much better so on the third i decided no epidural. My delivery doctor (the backup to my prefered OB) hated that decision and was rude to me during the delivery. Also they made me get a intrevenous drip which limited my movement. Moving around (walking) is the best thing to do during labor! I was very proud of choosing not to have the epidural. No one seems to mention it but it is really an experience to embrace birth as it is suppose to be not all drugged up and scared of it. I really found the breathing and concentration a big help. When occassionally "i lost it" it was terrifying the amount of pain i experienced.

I never saw a difference in the newborn on whether i had a epidural or not.